Optical grid alignment system for portable radiography and portable radiography apparatus incorporating same
US5241578A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 2, 1991 |
| Grant date | Aug 31, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 2, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG21K1/02
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical alignment system for aligning a film cassette carrying grid cassette with an x-ray source of a portable x-ray apparatus. To facilitate accurate alignment of the central x-ray beam of the x-ray source of a portable x-ray apparatus with a focused grid in a clinical setting, the present invention uses a light projector and a reflector device. The light projector is substantially fixed relative to the x-ray source and projects a spot or line of light on the surface of the grid cassette. The reflector device, which can be temporarily or permanently fixed to the grid cassette, includes a reflector surface and an image surface. Images of the incident light spot or line and of the reflected light spot or line are formed on the image surface, and the distance between the images indicates the magnitude of angulation alignment error between the grid cassette and the x-ray source. When beam alignment is accurate, the incident light spot or line and reflected light spot or line will be substantially superimposed, producing a single image on the reflector element. In addition, an opaque line on the transparent front surface of the collimator housing of the x-ray apparatus appears as a…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.